by Colin Thomas | Apr 1, 2024 | Review
Playwright Lolita Chakrabarti’s Red Velvet is primarily concerned with two things: anti-Black racism and acting styles in the nineteenth century, when the play is set. These things overlap. Ira Aldridge, the hero of Chakrabarti’s story, is a historical figure, a Black...
by Colin Thomas | Sep 16, 2023 | Review
This is my fifth draft of this review. Previous drafts have started with “Free the bimbo!” and “This production could accurately be renamed Little Shop of Crippling Good Intentions.” Overall, I don’t think the production succeeds. But I’m out of snappy ledes, so let’s...
by Colin Thomas | Jun 30, 2023 | Review
Director Bobby Garcia’s production of Million Dollar Quartet is so slick. His direction is tight, the design is fantastic, and the cast has talent pouring out of them. But I also felt like I was being marketed to and that significantly cut into my enjoyment. It might...
by Colin Thomas | Feb 19, 2023 | Review
Although it contains things to admire, this production of Teenage Dick feels too much like an afterschool special or not great theatre for young people. Teenage Dick is playwright Mike Lew’s reimagining of Shakespeare’s Richard III as a high school drama....
by Colin Thomas | Feb 10, 2023 | Review
Not to take anything away from the actors or anybody else, the real stars of this premiere stage production of The Cull are director Mindy Parfitt and set designer Amir Ofek. Their treatment of Michelle Riml and Michael St. John Smith’s script elevates it...
